Unbound Deathlord: Challenge

by Edward Castle

  Bonus received!

  You used two core slots for the first time each and received +10 levels on the chosen traits!

  Adept Controller increased to 21 (+10)

  » Max distance: 210 meters

  » Path correction: 288 degrees

  Energizer increased to 13 (+10)

  » Can create morbs while running

  » Max movement distance: 3 meters

  Trait has evolved into Adept Energizer:

  » Can amass unseen elements

  » Damage for disruption: 9

  » Mana to damage conversion on disruption: 116%

  Level up!

  Current level: 12

  HP, MP and stamina restored

  Creating a morb while running was not as good as I expected, not with that distance limit. But looking at the 'can amass unseen elements', I remembered that the adept mage trait allowed me to apply my will to unseen things. This could mean...

  Keeping my eyes wide open, I willed every life-form around me to be crushed. Interesting enough, I could also feel my will being applied to Daggers and Eternal, even though it did nothing to them.

  After feeling the lifeforms dying, I willed a death morb to be created from the death energy I knew was all around, even though I couldn't see it. It happened and I felt damn happy about it.

  Eternal was smiling broadly.

  Part of me wanted to punch his face; if I knew that ahead of time, I might have gone for different traits. Lucky for him, I was satisfied with my choices.

 

 

 

  Daggers asked.

  I said.

 

 

 

  I shrugged.

  Eternal said.

 

  Eternal answered at once.

  We both looked at Daggers expectantly. She shook her head.

  Eternal asked.

 

 

 

  I said.

 

 

  Something about my little chat with Eternal just didn't seem right, but I couldn't quite well put my finger into it. Every time I tried to think about it, some sound in the cave distracted me. Wolves howling; stones cracking; kind of distant yet near enough to be distracting. I eventually just let it go.

  We waited for Daggers' stamina to be replenished and went for the bishop. It was standing on the metal bench, its wings open, holding three swords: a greatsword and two longswords; the greatsword was held by his upper hands, while the lower ones held the longswords. It had chain armor all over its body, except the wings.

 

 

 

 

  Pawns had three hundred, rooks four hundred, and knights five hundred.

 

 

 

 

  I extended my hand to the bishop and realized I didn't need to do that anymore, since I had already told them I was an adept controller. My fire morbs became fireballs, flying straight at the gabat. It tried to dodge, but as with other gabats, I simply corrected the spell path.

  Next, I ran to the gabat and was received with a greatsword hit on my shield.

  I had forgotten how powerful the greatsword blow was, but my shaking arm was a quick reminder. I dropped my sword and prepared for the next attack, this time from the longsword. It hit hard and fast, I barely had time to defend myself.

  The power of the blow so shortly after the big sword made me step back. The speed of the third longsword was too fast for me; I screamed when it cut deeply into my left arm.

  48 shock damage received

  40 shock damage received

  78 slashing damage received

  HP: 109 / 275

  Status effect received: Mildly Crippled Arm (level 4)

  Until you are magically healed, you:

  » Cannot use your left arm

  The gabat kicked me right after that for more twenty damage. I couldn't use my shield arm and it was already preparing the greatsword.

  I'm gonna die. Holy shit, I'm gonna die.

  Status received: Panic

  You will not act in a rational way

  And I don't remember what happened next. When I came to myself I was lying on the floor headfirst, an unknown hand forcing my neck down and my right arm firmly held on my back. My left one was hurting considerably less.

  Daggers voice was screaming in my mind. There was both annoyance and a surprising hint of concern in it.

 

  Eternal said, clearly relieved.

  The pressure on my body was removed and I turned back.

 

 

 

  Daggers firm voice interrupted him,

  The final scene I remembered came to me: the big gabat holding its huge sword above my head.

  I looked around and saw his body on the floor, blood covering its head.

 

  I looked at Daggers, worried. She had forty-one HP left and an Internal Bleeding status effect on her that was draining 1 HP per minute. A single fireball and I would have killed her.

 

  Her body dropped on the floor. I didn't even take the time to think, I just got up and tried to lift her, but my left arm didn't hold. Six seconds and two heals later, I tried again and succeeded.

  Encumbered (level 3)

  You are carrying too much weight.

  » -30% strength damage

  » -30% agility (7 -> 4)

  » +30% stamina consumption

  "Oh my gosh, what are we going to do? What now? What-" Eternal dropped the mind chat in panic.


  He did.

 

 

 

  I dropped my sword and my backpack on the floor and my encumbered status dropped to level one. Eternal motioned to pick it up.

 

  I said simply and began to run.

  Fifteen minutes of a frantic running later, I was talking to a vampire.

  Daggers had twenty HP.

  "I'm telling you, stupid turned..." Said the vampire with a whip, who we had asked for help. I looked like a vampire thanks to the illusion ring, but for some reason, he considered me a turned vampire instead of a pure-blooded one. I guessed theirs was a club of marked cards. "...that we do not have any life regeneration-"

  "Don't bullshit me! Both of us know full well that you do have at least a potion or a life mage in this plantation, just in case you need to use it against an undead. Or even to torture a ghoul. You may think I'm stupid, but I'm not that stupid."

  The vampire shook his head. "Even if we did have it, it is not your place-"

  "This is a drow observer under the care of the First Lord, you have-"

  "Turned. I'll make it simple to you: I. Do. Not. Care. The First Lord has no power here. I-"

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew what I had to do. I didn't want to do it, but I knew I had to if I wanted to save Daggers.

  She was just an annoying girl, but an annoying girl who had risked her life to save me. That meant a lot in the streets. If I let her die having the power to save her, I'd be no better than trash.

  Gulping, I let something loose inside me. Something ugly. Something that should've remained buried for the rest of my life.

  The vampire stopped talking when I looked at him again.

  "What's your name?" My voice lost the desperation and shakiness, coming out steady and firm.

  "My name is of no concern for the likes of you."

  "See that, slaves?" I raised my voice and looked around. "Your great master with the whip is just a little boy afraid of a turned." The ghouls made a point of not looking in our direction. "See that, vampires? This is one of yours, and he boasts no fear from the First Lord, but denies me his name." I looked at him. "You, coward, should be ashamed of calling yourself a pure-blooded vampire."

  The vampire's face contorted in fury, his eyes shone and I wondered if I had gone too far because of lack of practice. "You know much about shame, don't you, turned?" He had raised his voice. "I am Protus Sophus, son of-"

  "Of a goat. That is what you represent to the First Lord: nothing more than an animal that ghouls would take care of in this field. Yet, you claim the First Lord to be powerless here. I take back my words, Protus Sophus. You are not a coward; you are a bold one." His expression became confused. "Of course, I will be sure to inform the First Lord of such powerful vampire proudly using his talents to take care of cattle. I am positive he will be delighted to hear about it after I tell him such vampire let the drow observer... Which the First Lord personally brought from Ter'nodril... die. I see a great future for you, Protus Sophus. Bards will surely sing poems about your courage.

  "Now," I turned around to the nearby vampires, "maybe one of you is a little less bold than mister Protus, here. Maybe one of you would like to be known by the First Lord as one who fears and obeys his name. I am no pure-blooded to pretend to know how your little war of houses works, but I know gratitude is a universal currency and that no powerful noble would ever want to have his name in debt to anyone. Especially the First Lord."

  There was a long silence, Protus smile broadening each second until one of the vampires spoke. "How do we know you are speaking the truth, turned?"

  "Argus!" Protus said.

  "Shut up, Protus. If he can prove he is telling the truth, I'll be saving your life."

  Daggers had lost seven more HP in the meanwhile. Time was ticking. "You must know the First Lord's personal slave," I nodded to Eternal. "And you must know the First Lord treats well those who earn his favors." I put my hand inside Daggers' cloak and took her magical purse from inside it.

  High-Quality Enchanted Purse

  » Drop chance: 1%

  » Slots: 15

  » Max stack per slot: 15

  » Weight reduction: 10%

  Holy cow, it was a high-quality purse, too! It even reduced items weight! I saw the vampires' eyes become more interested. "Eternal," I said, "is it true that the First Lord has honored both you and the observer with such very expensive gifts?"

  "I- I-" He was clearly uncomfortable. I looked at him.

  I mind spoke to him.

 

 

  He kept silent for some time.

 

  Taking a deep breath, he took out his purse from his robe pocket. "It is true." He had his eyes closed.

  "A Blackguard," I resumed my speech, "might have enough money to buy her own magical purse, but him? A slave?" They seemed interested, but still a little away from completely buying it. So I would give them something every vampire seemed to love: the opportunity to make a slave suffer. "And he is the guarantee I give you: imagine the scandal if a slave lies in the name of its master, and the First Lord no less. Imagine the gratitude of this Blackguard if you help her without needing to.

  "We all know the First Lord has ties to the drow, but do any of you have such? And if the slave is telling the truth, imagine the First Lord's gratitude. It is a win-win situation, one you get once in a lifetime, and it has just dropped on all of you out of sheer luck." I checked her HP: nine remaining. "But she is dying and she needs help right now."

  The eyes of at least three vampires were shining now, but Protus, with his face pale, was the one who quickly retrieved a small bag from his waist, under his blue cloak, and took a flask containing a green liquid out of it.

  Charisma increased to 8 (+1)

  A deathlord, disguised as a turned vampire, using the mention of a First Lord's power to make a pure-blood change his mind and do as bid. It is unheard of. And impressive.

  Level up!

  Current level: 13

  HP, MP and stamina restored

  Damn right it's impressive. Particularly when put that way.

  Wound Closing Concoction

  An expensive piece of alchemy, especially in the Underworld.

  Removes:

  » Any kind of Open Wounds

  » Any kind of Bleeding

  I took the flask and was about to take Daggers' hood off when it felt... Wrong. She hadn't removed her hood a single time and I had never seen a Blackguard's face before, so it could have a special meaning to them. Instead, I felt her face with my hand, found her mouth and gave her the potion.

  For the next minute, I watched her HP bar, waiting for it to drop more. It didn't. I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding. Which was something else for a guy who didn't need to breathe.

  "Is that all you are going to do to make up for earlier?" I pushed Protus a little more. "What about some life potions?"

  He was about to burst when the second vampire to speak to me put his hands on the first vampire's shoulder. "You must be a Traveler. There are no life potions in this world, turned." He turned to Eternal. "Be sure to tell your master what happened here. I am going to tell our mother, A
mbrassa."

  I saw Eternal swallow at the name, but I was done with them. Fixing my grip on Daggers, I set off to the city.

  Time to face Marbareus' wrath.

  Jack Thorn

  Unbound Deathlord

  Legendary Spotter, Hedge Wizard, Pioneer, Dark Archmage

  Level 13

  Hit Points:275 / 275

  Mana Points:620 / 620

  Stamina:210 / 210

  Attributes:

  Strength:8

  Agility:8

  Dexterity:6

  Constitution:8

  Intelligence:14

  Perception:6 + 10 [Items]

  Willpower:9

  Charisma:8

  Traits:

  © Adept Controller:21

  © Adept Energizer:13

  Adept Mage:11 + 10 [Items]

  Diviner:2

  Gold Digger:2

  Scavenger:2

  Scout:2

  Antimage:1

  Athlete:1

  Crafter:1

  Healer:1

  Meditator:1

  Mind Seer:1

  Negotiator:1

  Nitpicker:1

  Shadow:1

  Warrior:1

  17. Manning Up

  'Never sacrifice yourself.'

  - Mother

  "You little piece of shit!" Marbareus yelled. "How dare you use my name? How dare you?! I'm going to flog you publicly to make sure no one ever does that again! To make sure no one ever believes the words of someone claiming to work for me without proper proof!"

  He was livid. As Eternal told him the tale of my speech, Marbareus had slowly stood up from his seat and his red eyes had shone more and more. At least he had ordered Tardas to take Daggers for healing before receiving the rest of the report.

  "That is going to work great for you when there is need of a covert-" I tried to say, but he jumped from behind his desk and slammed my head to the floor. He kept his body over mine, and placed his hand on my mouth.

  "Not a single word! No. That's wrong. Speak, deathlord. Give me a single good reason for not killing you. Yes." He smiled maliciously and his fangs grew. "Do that or die." He moved his hand from my mouth to my throat.